“Sounds like it ends with both of us getting laid, so I’m in.” She chuckles, a little sparkle among the mischief in her eyes.
“Okay, we do the wingwoman-man thing you suggested the other night. Pick your trophy and come up with a scenario to help land the lay, skip past the introductions and flirting. Get them to come to us.”
“Okay.” I survey the venue, finding a tall and curvy brunette by the bar, drinking with a girlfriend. “Her.” I point, and when Rosie looks, I try not to be offended by how impressed she looks.
“Nice. Hot, I like her.” She dips her head in appreciation.
I raise my glass and nod a thank-you. Of course I would pick nothing but class.
“Okay, him.” She points to the bar behind me, and I try my best to subtly look over my shoulder.
“The Chris Hemsworth hulk?” I’m working overtime to hide the prickly feeling that coats my skin at the thought of his beef-head hands on her. Like he’d have any idea how to touch her the way she likes.
“Exactly.”
“What’s the play with him?” I look back to Rosie. She stares at her victim, tilting her head and assessing him. I never put enough stock into how incredibly intelligent Rosie is. Her ability to read people effortlessly should be terrifying. I know it hit a spot the first time she did it to me…she just wasn’t entirely off base.
“He’s got some ego issues for sure. He needs a ‘big guy’ moment.”
“A ‘big guy’ moment?”
“Yeah, he needs a way to assert dominance, prove he is the alpha. It’ll get him all jacked up, and then when I eat that shitout of the palm of his hand, he won’t bother with anyone else. I’ll have him in an Uber and back to his apartment before you can say ‘winner.’” I choke out a laugh, trying to hide the air of annoyance that is growing inside me.
“And mine?” I ask her, though I am not all that interested in pursuing another woman in this moment. I’d rather sit here, with Rosie, even with a table between us the entire night.
“I want to hear your assessment.” Her smile is borderline feline as she settles back into her seat.
“She has a relaxed presence, but she is bored. She wants drama but doesn’t want it about her.” I shift on my seat, feeling warmth crawl up my neck as I push through the rest of my assessment. “Wants desperately to feel important, needed.”
“Oh, for sure,” Rosie agrees. “Um, quick thought, though. How are we going to help each other at the same time?”
“We’ll do you first. I’ll pine from the bar and pretend I just caught my girlfriend cheating but you have no idea I’m here watching.”
“Oh! Brilliant.” Her gasping excitement washes over me, and something warm floods my chest as I watch her practically bounce on her chair.
“Or…” I trail off, trying to bite the retort that left my mouth without my permission. I throw back my whiskey.
“Or?” she questions with raised brows. After a moment of assessing, I come to terms with the fact I actually have no interest in taking a girl home right now. I want to de-stress, I want something easy, where I don’t have to beon.Rosie somehow makes me feel like I can drop a wall or two and she wouldn’t judge.
“Or…” I continue, “We could just hang out, have a few drinks, talk shit, and go home.” I give her a smile that isn’t real because I’m shoving down the real feelings looking in her eyes gives me,feelings that elicit thoughts like,I want to spend time with youand,Can’t it just be us?Which is just…an awful revelation.
She is quiet for a moment, then laughs. Downing her martini, she claps her hands, pushing on like I said nothing at all. “Okay, so here’s how this works.”
Just as I suspected.
Not enough.
Rosie storms in the direction of the Hulk, pure sass and faux aggression as I trail behind her, an angry scowl on my face. Just as she reaches the bar where he is leaning, I grip her elbow and pull her next to me, keeping my voice low enough to not alert the entire bar, but high enough that our victim can hear.
“You stupid bitch!” I growl, and she spins into me, trying to pull her arm from my grasp, a look of pure terror in her eyes that has my heart ripping. I told her point-blank I was not on board with this plan. I didn’t realize giving the Hulk a “big guy” moment meant me having a “worst guy” moment.
It’s fake.
It’s fake.
It’s fake.
Pretending or not, being aggressive with malice toward her, or any woman for that matter, makes my stomach turn.
